Hand brake



Oct. 30, 1934. s HASELTlNE 1,978,530

HAND BRAKE Filed March 16, 1954 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Inventor ,Staay B. Haselime v Oct. 30, 1934 s. B. HASELTINE HAND BRAKE 2 Sheets-Shet 2 Filed March 1954 IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIA Irwerzfor B. Haseltz'rze Siacy y 54 Mfltty 15 Another object of the invention is to provide, is a horizontal sectional view corresponding sub- Patented a. 30, 1934 1 1,97 8,530

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE HAND BRAKE Stacy B. Haseltine, Chicago; 111., assignor to W. H. Miner, Inc., Chicago, 111., a corporation of Delaware I ApplicationMarch 16, 1934, Serial No. 715,845

Claims. (01254-1731 This invention relates to improvements in ly appear from the description and claims herehand brakes. inafter following. a

This application is a continuation in part of In the drawings forming a part of this speciapplication, Serial No. 472,218, filed August 1, fication, Figure 1 is a part elevational and part 6 1930, now Patent No. 1,931,655, granted Octovertical sectional view of a hand brake mechber 24, 1933, and application, Serial No. 690,521, anism, illustrating my improvements in connec, filed September 22, 1933, which is a division of tion therewith. Figure 2 is a vertical sectional said application, Serial No. 472,218. View corresponding substantially to the line 2-2 One object of the invention is to provide, in of Figure 1. Figure 3 is a view similar to Figure 10 a hand brake mechanism including a chain- 1, partly broken away, showing the brake mechwinding drum, simple and efiicient means for anism in a different position, wherein the brake arresting unwinding movement of the chainchain is partly wound on the drum. Figure 4 winding drum in a predetermined position when is a vertical sectional view corresponding sub- A the brakes are released. stantially to the line 4+4 of Figure 3. Figure .5

in a brake mechanism of the character indistantially to the line 5-5 of Figure 1. Figure cated in the preceding paragraph, means for 6 is a vertical sectional view through the houspositively stopping the unwinding movement of ing enclosing the brake mechanism and through the chain-winding drum when the brakes are the supporting shaft for the brake drum, il-

' released and so positioning the pivot conneclustrating another embodiment of the invention,

tion of the chain with the drum that quick takethe major portion of the housing being broken up of the slack in the brake chain is effected away. immediately when the drum is rotated in chain- Referring first to the embodiment of the inwinding direction. vention illustrated in Figures '1 to 5 inclusive, A stillfurther object of the invention is to the hand brake mechanism is shown as mounted so provide stop meansof the character described on the vertical end Wall 10 of a railway car and in the preceding paragraph, which is especially is enclosed Within a two part housing comprising: designed for operation in connection with a sections 12 and 13. As will be evident upon refchain-winding drum having more than one turn erence to Figures 1 and 3, the housing is diof the chain wound thereon in the chain-tightvided along a horizontal plane. .The housing ening operation. has front and rear walls 14 and 15, spacedside Yet another'object of the invention is to prowalls 16 and 17, and a top wall 18. I The front idav a, stopmeans which effectively stops the wall 14 is curved, as clearly shown in Figures 2 rotation of the drum of a hand brake mechand 4, and merges with the top wall 18.: The V anism when the brakes are quickly released so housing is divided into two chambers by a veras to prevent reverse winding of the chain ticalspartition wall 19 which merges with a thereon, which might otherwise occur due to curved bottom wall 20 closing the left hand themomentum of the rotation of the drum. chamber viewed in Figures 1 and 3. The right i A further object of the invention is to utilize hand chamber, as viewed in Figures 1 and 3, is

io the brake chain link which is secured to the open at the bottom to accommodate the brake' drum as a member of the stop means for limitchain 21 for movement. The rear wall section ing't'he unwinding movement of the drum, the 15 of the housing is provided with ears 22-22 partsbeing so designed that said link is interfor securing the brake mechanism to the end posed between a stop shoulder on the brake supwall 10 of the car. As shown, rivets extending 45 porting means and a stop shoulder on the drum through the ears 22-22 and the end wall 10 to block rotation of the drum in chain-unwindof the car are" provided to secure the housing in ing direction. position. The housing contains a chain-winding A still further object of the invention is to drum 23 which is rotatable about a horizontal so arrange the stop means described in the preaxis. The chain drum is preferably operated by 50 ceding paragraph that unwinding movement of a worm and gear driving mechanism of the type the drum is arrested in the most advantageous disclosed in Patent No. 1,854,804, a lever actuposition for quickly taking up the slack in the ated clutch mechanism being employed to operbrake chain when the drum is again rotated in' atively connect the worm gear to the drum, as hain-winding direction. disclosed in said patent, to effect winding of -55 Other objects of the invention will more clearthe chain thereon when the Wheel is rotated in the proper direction. Upon releasing the clutch mechanism the drum is disconnected from the driving mechanism, thereby permitting free rotation of the drum to release the brakes. The 5 usual hand wheel 24 is indicated in dotted lines in Figure 1. As is well understood, the hand wheel 24 is fixed to the worm shaft 25 which cooperates with the worm gear, not shown in the drawings. The clutch operating lever 26 is employed to actuate the clutch mechanism which is similar to the clutch mechanism of Patent No. 1,854,804, to connect the worm gear with or disconnect the same from the chain-winding drum. The hand brake mechanism thus far set forth and the operation thereof is well known in this art and therefore needs no further detailed description.

In carrying out my invention as disclosed in Figures 1 to 5 inclusive, I provide the drum 23 with a pocket 27 into which the end link 28 of the brake chain 21 extends. The link 28 is anchored to the drum by means of a pivot bolt 29 which extends through the side walls 30-31) of the pocket 2'7 and through the opening of said link. As will be evident the end link 28 is thus mounted for pivotal movement about the bolt 29. The pocket 27 is also provided with a trans-- verse back wall 31 which engages the one side of the end link 28, as shown in Figure 2, to limit the swinging movement of said link in a clockwise direction as viewed in said figure. The wall 31 thus forms a stop shoulder, as hereinafter pointed out, cooperating with the link to hold it in the proper position to positively engage a fixed stop member 32 on the housing to limit rotation of the drum in chain-unwinding direction. The stop member 32 is in the form of a fixed lug projecting from the wall 19 of the 40 housing, as clearly illustrated in Figures 1 and 2. The member 32 has a flat top portion 33 of the outline shown in Figure 5. The left hand side edge of said top section, as viewed in Figure 2, provides an inclined abutment face 34 with which the link 28 engages when the brakes are fully released. Referring to Figures 1 and 3, it will be seen that the stop member 32 projects from the wall 19 such a distance that it will be engaged by the end link 28 when the chain has been unwound from the drum, as shown in Figures 1 and 2, but will not interfere with the chain when it is helically wound upon the drum, as shown in Figure 3. It is further pointed out that the stop 32 is located at such a distance below the chain-winding drum 23 that the end link will clear the stop when said link is folded against the drum by the chain being wound thereon, as illustrated in Figure 4.

In the operation of my improved hand brake mechanism, when the hand wheel is rotated in a clockwise direction, as shown in Figure 1, the drum 23 will be rotated to wind the chain 21 thereon and tighten the brakes. During the first part of the winding operation the slack will be quickly taken up because the winding operation starts from the position shown in Figure 2, wherein the connection of the end link 28 of the chain with the drum 23 is disposed to one side of a vertical plane coincident with the axis of rotation of the drum. As the chain is wound about the drum, as illustrated in Figure 4, the

link 28 will be folded against the drum so that the link will clear the stop 32 when it passes the same during the winding operation. Inasmuch as the chain is helically wound on the drum 23,

. lthat portion of the chain which extends. fr m the drum will be displaced outwardly away from the stop 32, as shown in Figure 3, thereby allowing free winding of the chain on the drum. In order to quickly release the brakes, the operating lever 26 is swung upwardly, thereby disengaging the clutch from the drum 23 and permitting free rotation of said drum in chain-unwinding direction. The operation in quickly releasing the brakes is the same as that described in Patent No. 1,854,804, hereinbefore referred to. When the chain-winding drum 23 has been freed by operation of the clutch mechanism, the drum will spin in chain-unwinding direction, thereby quickly releasing the brakes, and will come to rest in the position shown in Figure 2, rotation of the drum being positively stopped by the link 28 engaging the abutment face 34 of the stop 32. At this time the link is held against swinging movement to the left, as viewed in Figure 2, by the wall 31 on the drum. As will be evident, the wall 31 forms an abutment shoulder which positively holds the link 28 in the position shown in Figure 2. The link 28 forms in effect a lock which is interposed between the abutment wall 31 of the drum and the fixed stop 32 to block rotation of the chain-winding drum.

Referring next to the embodiment of the invention shown in Figure 6, the construction corresponds exactly to that shown in Figure 5 of my application for patent, Serial No. 472,218, as filed on August 1, 1930, and also corresponds exactly to the construction shown in Figure 3 of my application for patent, Serial No. 698,521, as filed on September 22, 1933, said last named application being a division of application, Serial No. 472,218. In said embodiment of the invention, as shown in Figure 6 of the present application, the chain-winding drum 50, which is similar to the drum 23, hereinoefore mentioned, is fixed to a rotary shaft 123. The chain-winding drum is provided with an outstanding luglike member 44 to which the brake chain is connected. The lugiike member 44 has a T-head projection 45 with which the inner end of the brake chain 46 is interlocked. The bottom of the housing section 13 is open so as to accommodate the brake chain, which is connected to the brake mechanism proper, not shown, of the railway car. In order to interlock the chain with the lug 44 of the chain-winding drum, the link at the end of the chain is aligned with the T-head of the member 45 and passed thereover and then turned to the position shown in Figure 6 so as to interlock the parts.

As most clearly shown in Figure 6, the bottom of the front wall of the housing is so disposed as to provide a stop shoulder 138, which is engaged by the innermost link 51 of the chain 46 when the brake mechanism is fully released so as to prevent further rotation of the chainwinding drum in an unwinding direction and avoid rewinding of the chain on the drum due to the tendency of the drum to spin. This arrangement also acts as a stop to prevent winding of the chain on the drum in case the brakeman attempts to rotate the hand wheel in a contraclockwise direction to tighten the brakes. Swinging movement of the end link to the left when engaged by the stop shoulder 138, as viewed in Figure 6, is prevented by a stop 140 on the chain lug 44 of the drum 50. When the drum is rotated to tighten the brakes, the end link of the chain which is connected to the drum is swung to one side through the winding action of the chain and the portion of the chain wound 15c about the drum holds, the end link fixed in that position so that said link will clear the stop shoulder 138 of the housing at all times until the chain again assumes the position shown in Figurefi and the brakes are completely released. As will. be evident to those skilled in the art, it is within the invention to so place the stop lug 138 that the chain connection will be in a position tothe'left of that shown in Figure 6 so that the drum will be arrested in a position similar to that shown in Figure 2, whereby taking up of the slack is made more rapid during the initial rotation of the drum when the brakes are being applied.

I have herein shown and described what I nowconsider the preferred manner of carrying out my invention, but the same is merely illustrative and I contemplate all changes and modifications that come within the scope of the claims appended hereto.

I claim:

1. In a hand brake mechanism, the combination with a chain-winding drum; of a brake chain having the end link thereof pivotally connected to the drum; operating means for rotating the drum and winding more than one turn of the chain thereon; a stop shoulder on the drum adjacent to said end link and engageable with one side thereof; and a fixed stop shoulder engaged by the opposite side of said link to stop rotation of the drum when the chain has been completely unwound.

2. In a hand brake mechanism, the combination with a chain-winding drum; of a stop shoulder rigid with respect to said drum; a housing enclosing said brake mechanism, said housing having a stop shoulder thereon; and'a flexible tightening member adapted to be wound A on the drum, said member including an end section pivotally connected to the drum, said end section being so located on the drum that it is interposed between said stops when the flexible member is completely unwound to stop rotation of the drum in release of the brakes.

3. In a hand brake mechanism, the combination with a chain-winding drum; of a rigid abutment on said drum; a brake chain including an end link member swingingly supported from said drum and adapted to be arrested against swinging movement in a direction corre-' sponding to the direction of winding movement of the drum; and a fixed stop shoulder engaged by said link and against which said link is forced by said rigid abutment of the drum when the drum is rotated in unwinding direction in completely releasing the brakes.

4. In a hand brake mechanism, the combina tion with a chain-winding drum; of a brake chain including an end link swingably connected i to the drum, said link being swingable toward said drum through the chain being wound on the drum; means on the drum arresting the outward swinging movement of said link when said link assumes a position substantially ra- Zdial to the axis of rotation of said drum; operating means for rotating the drum; and a housing enclosing said brake mechanism, said housing having a shoulder thereon engaging said end link when the latter is in said radial position to stop rotation of the drum when the brakes are completely released.

5. In a hand brake mechanism, the combination with a support; of a stop shoulder on said support; a chain-winding drum rotatably iimounted on said support; an abutment shoulder on said drum; a brake chain, the'end link of which is pivotally connected to the drum adjacent to said abutment shoulder, said end link being swingable away from said abutment shoulder and against said drum when the chain is wound .on the drum to clear said stop shoulder, one side of said link'being engaged with said stop shoulder to restrict swinging move ment of said link in projected position from the drum to engage said fixed abutment shoulder when the brakes are released and arrest rotation of the drum when the brake chain is completely unwound therefrom.

6. In a hand brake mechanism of the pull-up type, the combination with a support; of a rotary chain-winding drum mounted on said support, said drum having a winding section for helically receiving the brake chain; a chain, the end link of which is pivotally connected to the drum to permit swinging movement of the outer end of said link toward and away from the drum; a stop shoulder on the support adapted to be engaged by one side of said end link of the chain when said link is swung outwardly away from the drum; and an abutment shoulder on said drum engageable with the opposite side of said link to limit outward swinging movement of the link and in a position to engage said stop shoulder when the drum is rotated in chainunwinding direction in releasing the brakes, said link being folded against the drum when the chain is wound on the latter, said stop shoulder being spaced a distance from the center of rotation of the drum greater than the projection of said end link from the center of the drum when folded against the drum, but less than the projection of said link from the center of said drum when said link is swung outwardly, said stop being so positioned that the portion of the chain extending from the drum clears said stop shoulder when the inner end section of said chain has been helically woundon said drum.

7. In a hand brake mechanism, the combination with a rotatable chain-winding drum; of a brake chain having the end link thereof pivotally connected to the drum, the axis of said pivotal connection being eccentric and parallel to the axis of rotation of the drum; operating means for rotating the drum to wind the chain thereon; a stop shoulder on the drum adjacent to one side of said link; and a fixed stop shoulder engageable by the opposite side of said link when the drum is rotated in chain-unwinding direction for stopping rotation of the drum in said direction with the pivot of the link so positioned that a plane radial to the axis of rotation of the drum passing through said pivotal connection is angularly disposed to the direction in which the chain extends from the drum.

8. In a hand brake mechanism, the combination with a chain-winding drum mounted to rotate about a horizontal axis; of a brake chain having the end link thereof pivotally connected to the drum, the axis of said pivotal connection being eccentric and parallel to the axis of rotation of the drum; operating means for rotating the drum to wind the chain thereon; a stop shoulder on the drum adjacent to one side or" said link; and a fixed stop shoulder engageable by the opposite side of said link when the drum is rotated in chain-unwinding direction for stopping rotation of the drum in said direction with the pivot of the link at a point to one side of a vertical plane coincident with the axis of rotation of said drum.

9. In a hand brake mechanism, the combination with a support; of a winding drum rotatably mounted on said support; a brake chain including an end link connected to the drum by means of a pivot member, said link being swingable on said pivot in a direction corresponding to the direction of rotation of the drum in releasing the brakes; stop means on the drum engageable with one side of said link for limiting swinging movement of the link in a direction reverse to the direction of rotation of the drum in releasing the brakes; and a stop shoulder engageable by the opposite side of said link for arresting rotation of the drum in chain-unwinding direction.

10. In a hand brake mechanism, the combination with a support; of a Winding drum rotatable about a horizontal axis; a brake chain having the end link thereof pivotally connected to the drum, the axis of said pivotal connection being eccentric and parallel to the axis of rotation of the drum; a stop shoulder on said drum outwardly beyond the pivot of the link and adjacent to one side of said link; and a fixed; stop shoulder on said housing below said drum engageable by the opposite side of said link, said fixed stop shoulder being offset from a vertical plane coincident with the axis of rotation of the drum, said ofiset being in a direction corresponding to the direction of rotation of the drum in winding the chain thereon, said fixed stop shoulder stopping rotation of the Winding drum in unwinding direction with the pivot of the link laterally ofiset with respect to said vertical plane.

STACY B. HASELTINE. 

